July 14 Bastille day: the national celebration of the French revolution.

July 20-21 Le Carrousel de Saumur: France's answer to the Royal Tournament. (15 minutes)

July 21-22 Grand Prix Rétro at Le Puy Notre Dame: glorious days of veteran cars and motorbikes racing around the streets of a nearby small town. (10 minutes)

August 5 Les Peintres dans la Ville: an all-day art competition with any view of picturesque Montreuil-
Bellay as the subject, any medium, open to participants of all ages with prizes for amateur and professional artists.

September 1-9 Festivini: all sorts of festivities to celebrate the local Saumur wines, including the annual marché des vins beside the Loire in Saumur, where you can taste, and buy if you wish, a wide variety of Saumur appellation wines. (15 minutes)

September 15-16 Weekend du Patrimoine: France's heritage weekend, when you can visit all sorts of historic, sometimes privately owned, buildings not normally open to the public. (Nationwide)

September 29-30 Gala du Cadre Noir: a gala spectacle demonstrating the purest tradition of French equestrianism See also June 16-17. (15 minutes)

For all those of you who like to spot a bargain at the monthly bric-à-brac markets:
Montreuil-Bellay: 1st Sunday
Montsoreau: 2nd Sunday
Chinon: 3rd Sunday
Saumur: 4th Sunday